Beginning July 1, 2013, appointments to the Court of Appeals are made by the governor and require confirmation by a majority vote of the Senate. Prior to July 1, 2013, the governor made the appointment by selecting one of three qualified candidates provided by the Supreme Court Nominating Commission.

Judges serve four-year terms and are retained for successive terms by public vote. One Court of Appeals judge is selected by the Kansas Supreme Court to serve as chief judge. The chief judge assigns judges to panels, determines venues for arguments, and designates cases for each panel.

Court of Appeals judges ordinarily do not conduct trials. They decide appealed cases by reading the trial record and written briefs filed by the parties, and hearing oral arguments of lawyers. They research and review laws involved and write opinions that usually are published in bound volumes.

Members of the Court of Appeals sit in panels of three at locations throughout the state, including the primary courtroom in the Kansas Judicial Center. Each panel typically takes up 30 appeals over one two-day period each month.

Court of Appeals decisions are filed weekly with the Clerk of the Appellate Courts, usually at 9:30 a.m. Fridays. Decisions are posted on this website by release date.